Carolina Panthers: 2008 NFL Draft do-over (7 rounds)
By Josh Linares
WR. 87. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 181. player. MOUNT UNION. PIERREGARCON
Carolina Panthers 2008 Draft: Pierre Garcon over Nick Hayden (No. 181)
Drafting Nick Hayden something that the Carolina Panthers wish they could go back and undo. He played three seasons with the organization and only had two sacks in 13 starts.
He played four more years with the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys. But Hayden never really found his way in the NFL and found himself on the scrapheap during his prime.
The player the Panthers should have taken was Pierre Garcon. He would have been a great addition to a growing offense at the time. And the unfancied prospect rose quickly into a dependable wideout at the next level.
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Garcon was eventually taken by the Indianapolis Colts. He had four good years there and then went to the Washington Redskins where he really became a great receiver in a fast-moving offense.
In his five years in Washington, Garcon caught 376 passes for 4,549 yards and 21 touchdowns. He was their main offensive threat during that time. And produced the goods more often than not.
His best season was in 2013 when he notched 113 passes for 1,346 yards and five touchdowns. Garcon never made a Pro Bowl due to all the other talented receivers in the league. But he can still look back at his accomplishments with pride.
The Panthers could have had a solid core with Steve Smith and Pierre Garcon. The pair were two sure-handed receivers that brought different characteristics on the field.